Criswell Dominates In 3-0 Trash Pandas Victory

MADISON, Alabama – Behind a career night from starter Cooper Criswell and three solo home runs, the Rocket City Trash Pandas defeated the Biloxi Shuckers 3-0 on Wednesday night at Toyota Field in the second game of their six-game series.

The win is the Trash Pandas’ eighth in their last nine games and improves their record to 20-17, the first time that Rocket City has been three games above .500.

In the top of the first, the Shuckers threatened off Criswell as a leadoff double and one out single put runners on the corners. But Criswell rebounded to get back-to-back strikeouts, stranding the runners on base.

For the second straight game, Dalton Pompey got the Trash Pandas on the board in the bottom of the first. With one out, he crushed the 1-1 pitch from Biloxi starter Nick Bennett (L, 1-2) over the left field fence for a solo home run, his fourth of the season.

After the Trash Pandas got the lead, Criswell made it stand up for the rest of the night. In both the second and third, he recorded a pair of strikeouts. In the fourth, he struck out three to work around a one-out single. A ground ball double play kept the Shuckers scoreless in the fifth.

Michael Cruz doubled the Rocket City lead in the bottom of the fifth with his third home run of the season, a solo blast 420 feet to left-center to make it 2-0 Trash Pandas.

Criswell returned to the mound in the sixth and retired the side in order. Orlando Martinez then made it 3-0 Rocket City in the bottom half with a solo shot of his own to right, his eighth of the season.

In the seventh, Criswell got back-to-back strikeouts to start the frame. From there, the Trash Pandas went to the bullpen and Adrian Almeida induced a fly out to end the inning and hold the lead.

Nathan Bates (S, 1) entered in the eighth and worked around a pair of hits to pitch the final 2.0 innings, completing the shutout and earning the save.

In the best game of his professional career, Criswell (W, 3-3) pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and walking none while recording a career-high 14 strikeouts to earn the win. His previous career-high was nine strikeouts, set in 2019 for High-A Inland Empire.

Criswell’s 14 strikeouts are a new Trash Pandas single game high, passing the previous mark of 11 set by Jhonathan Diaz on May 13. With two strikeouts from Bates in relief, the Trash Pandas recorded 16 in the game, a new season-high for a nine-inning game.

The Trash Pandas (20-17) continue their series with the Shuckers (13-25) on Thursday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is set for 6:35 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV.